Group items tagged

Computer Addiction – obsessive playing of off-line computer games, such as Solitaire or Minesweeper, or obsessive computer programming.

The Internet provides a constant, ever-changing source of information and entertainment, and can be accessed from most smart phones as well as tablets, laptops, and computers. Email, blogs, social networks, and message boards allow for both public and anonymous communication about any topic. But how much is too much Internet usage? Each person’s Internet use is different. You might need to use the Internet extensively for your work, for example, or you might rely heavily on social networking sites to keep in touch with faraway family and friends. Spending a lot of time online only becomes a problem when it absorbs too much of your time, causing you to neglect your relationships, your work, school, or other important things in your life. If you keep repeating compulsive Internet behavior despite the negative consequences in your offline life, then it’s time to strike a new balance.

“A social network service focuses on building online communities of people who share interests and/or activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Most social network services are web based and provide a variety of ways for users to interact, such as e-mail and instant messaging services. Social networking has encouraged new ways to communicate and share information. Social networking websites are being used regularly by millions of people, and it now seems that social networking will be an enduring part of everyday life.”

General security Don't use public or shared computers for online banking or investment transactions. Don't give out your account password to anyone, even someone claiming to be from your online service. Your account can be hijacked, and you can find unexpected charges on your bill. Be careful about giving out your credit card number, phone number and home address. Never provide your Social Security number to anyone unless required by law. Email is relatively private -- but not completely. Don't put anything into an electronic message that you wouldn't want to see posted on a neighborhood bulletin board. Delete junk email without even reading it. Never download an email attachment from an unknown source. Opening a file could expose your system to a virus. Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them. These files can contain viruses or other software that can weaken your computer's security. Don't "unsubscribe" on unwanted, un-requested or unsolicited e-mail. That just lets the senders know that they had reached a valid email address. Don't sign up for free offers. Shopping online Know who you're dealing with. Confirm the online seller's physical address and phone number in case you have problems. Know what you're buying. Read the seller's description of the product closely, especially the fine print. Name-brand items at unusually low prices might be stolen or counterfeit. Know what it will cost, including shipping and handling. Never send cash. Pay by credit or charge card. If you pay by credit or charge card online, your transaction will be protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. Under this law, you have the right to dispute charges under certain circumstances and temporarily withhold payment while the creditor is investigating them. Check out the terms of the deal, like refund policies and delivery dates. A Federal Trade Commission rule requires sellers to ship items as promised or within 30 days after the order date if no specific date is promised. Phishing and identity theft You may receive emails that appear to be from a financial institution, bill paying service, government agency or other business that say something like: "We suspect an unauthorized transaction on your account. To ensure that your account is not compromised, please click the link below and confirm your identity." Do not reply, and do not click on the links. The messages direct you to a website that looks legitimate, but it is a trick to get you to reveal personal information and passwords. Operators can steal your identity and run up bills or commit crimes in your name. Forward these emails to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov and to the company, bank, or organization impersonated in the email. Most organizations have information on their websites about where to report problems. Email is not a secure method of transmitting information, so never use it to transmit financial information. Legitimate businesses should not ask you to send sensitive information by email. Area codes can mislead. Some scammers send an email that appears to be from a legitimate business and ask you to call a phone number to update your account or access a "refund." Because they use voice over internet protocol technology, the area code you call does not reflect where the scammers really are. Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to check for unauthorized charges.

This refers to your efforts to create a sense of online community. Positive climate building can reduce anxiety about communicating online, and contribute to a positive collegial environment. Climate building can be developed by:  Use of first names by participants.  Responding promptly to messages sent to you.  Use of reinforcement phrases (i.e., "Good idea!" or "Thanks for the suggestions," etc.).  Use of personalizing remarks (i.e., a reference to where you are working -- home, office, terminal, what is happening around you, the weather, etc.). Avoiding hostile or curt comments. No objectionable, sexist, or racist language will be tolerated.  Displaying humour.  Promoting cooperation by offering assistance and support to other participants and by sharing ideas.  Beyond Netiquette: Dos and Don'ts   Demonstrating courtesy online is fundamental. (Absolutely no abusive or libelous comments will be permitted.)  Use only your real first and last name online.  Confidentiality: No one else should be given access to any of the conferences (either viewing onscreen or in print), without the previous consent of all participants and conferees.  Copyright & Plagiarism: Don't use the words or text of others without proper acknowledgement of the source (if this was in some public source), or -- if private (as in a conference) unless you first have the author's permission.  The use of humor can be very tricky; sometimes it is seen as sarcasm or derision rather than as funny. Symbols or parenthetic phrases (e.g., :-) or "ha! ha!") can help to convey emotional tone and help to prevent misunderstandings.

Respect others and their opinions. Your colleagues come from various backgrounds as they come together. It is important to respect their feelings and opinions though they may differ from your own. Consider others’ privacy. Be wary of your discussion topics and how private or open they may be. Keep in mind that all private messaging of any form is considered copyrighted by the original author. Pick the right tone. Since we depend on written communication in ESCnet, it is especially important to choose the right words to get your meaning across. For example, sarcasm is harder to detect when you read the words rather than hearing them. Be forgiving. If someone states something that you find offensive, mention this directly to that person and notify our system administrators. Remember that the person contributing to the discussion might be new to this form of communication. Think before you hit the send button. Think carefully about the content of your messages and posts before contributing them. Once sent to the group or the recipient, there is no taking it back. Grammar and spelling errors reflect on you, and your audience might not be able to decode misspelled words or poorly constructed sentences. Brevity is best. Be as concise as possible when contributing anywhere in ESCnet. Your points might me missed if hidden in a flood of text. Stick to the point. Contributions to a discussion should stick to the subject deemed important by the group admin or discussion creator. Don’t waste others' time by going off on irrelevant tangents. Do not type in all caps. Typing in caps is considered shouting or screaming online. Various studies on the topic reflect that it is more difficult and takes longer to read text that is typed in all caps. Avoid frivolous email. Don’t forward jokes, "chain letters" or unimportant posts to colleagues in ESCnet without their permission. Not only does it fill up their screens, but it may offend people who do not share the same sense of humor.

Safety Pledges

Internet Safety Pledges "House pledges" or "acceptable-use policies" can help provide clear guidelines for safer Internet use. NetSmartz recommends using the "Internet Safety Pledge" to promote safety discussions and create safer boundaries.